By Oklahoma Eagle Newswire
Mayor G.T. Bynum announced the City of Tulsa and USA BMX have reached an agreement to secure a 30-year commitment in Tulsa.
The contract between the City of Tulsa and USA BMX is for a 30-year lease agreement, with two 10-year renewal options in place. USA BMX, currently located in Gilbert, Arizona, will relocate its headquarters and Hall of Fame museum to Tulsa. Through funding provided by voters in Vision Tulsa, the City will construct a new National Headquarters, National Track Stadium containing both an Olympic-caliber and Amateur Track, and Hall of Fame Museum at the Evans Fintube site in Tulsa. Construction will begin in Fall 2018, with completion expected in late 2019.
To further develop the area, the City of Tulsa plans to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to rehabilitate the historic Oklahoma Iron Works Building and to develop the remainder of the Evans Fintube site for mixed-use development that will complement USA BMX’s facility, reflect previous community planning efforts, and honor the history of the Greenwood District and Black Wall Street. The RFP will be issued following the completion of site plans for USA BMX.
“USA BMX is making a substantial commitment to our community and we could not be more excited to bring an Olympic sport and its national audience to the Historic Greenwood District,” Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “The partnership with USA BMX is the first step in drawing significant private investment to this area of North Tulsa, and we want to ensure this project serves as a catalyst for the kind of community development many have worked toward for years.”
“USA BMX is excited to continue our long-time partnership with the city of Tulsa as we make their great city our new home,” said B.A. Anderson, CEO of USA BMX. “This project is becoming a reality because of the collaborative effort and teamwork from so many people who believe in the future of BMX.”
Tulsans approved the sales tax renewal package, Vision Tulsa, in 2016, which set the stage to make Tulsa the national headquarters for USA BMX. With a $15 million investment from Vision Tulsa, the city is expected to see more than 100,000 visitors attending more than 100 local, state, and national events in the first five years. The BMX events are expected to help generate nearly $11 million in economic impact for the city of Tulsa over the initial five-year time span.
“ I am excited about the BMX development of the Evans Fintube site in the Historic Greenwood District,” said Councilor Vanessa Hall Harper, District 1. “It represents the opportunity to grow and develop an historic district with progressive ideas that respect and pay homage to the history and legacy of Black Wall Street.”
Ray Hoyt, President of Tulsa Regional Tourism said Tulsa’s strengths in becoming the destination lies largely in its partnerships. “We would not have been able to attract the USA BMX national arena and headquarters from Arizona without our long standing partnerships with the city of Tulsa, USA BMX and Expo Square,” Hoyt said. “A city has to meet a lot of criteria to entice a national sports organization to relocate, but Tulsa’s collaborative attitude and visionary spirit made magic happen for us. USA BMX will be a great cornerstone in the Greenwood District.”
Vince Trinidad, Executive Director of the Tulsa Sports Commission, added, “USA BMX is a vibrant and innovative organization that will have the ability to further transform cycling in our region. The USA BMX headquarters will reinforce our great cycling efforts and will create new opportunities for the betterment of the Tulsa region.”
Last July, officials announced Evans Fintube as the preferred site for USA BMX’s national arena and headquarters. The Evans Fintube site was a key area included in the Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Pilot Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to facilitate redevelopment through specific strategic initiatives that would address both environmental and development issues at key sites in North Tulsa.
Evans-Fintube was built in 1911 and covers approximately 22.3 acres along the 100 block of North Lansing. The Evans building was formerly a steel manufacturing facility that contained a foundry and was once the largest manufacturing facility in Tulsa. Evans Fintube lies just north of downtown Tulsa separated only by I-244. The site lies within Tulsa’s Historic Greenwood District, and is in close proximity to OSU-Tulsa, ONEOK baseball field and the Arts District.
